
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]

Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]

Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]

Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]

Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]

By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]

Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]

Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]

Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]

Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]

Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]

Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]

Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]

Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]

Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]

Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
freedom

In our defense of who we are
we lose our essence.
We start fighting for our fears
and suppressing our inspirations.
In the battle to defend
we lose what we were defending.
We confuse
acting-out for adventure,
sarcasm for intelligence,
rage for self-expression,
isolation for independence,
mutual dysfunction for intimacy
ambition for creativity
rationalization for reason,
mediocrity for excellence
rebellion for exploration
compromise for resolution
force for power
stubbornness for strength.
and criticism for love.
We have commentary
in lieu of feelings,
thinking we have opinions
when in fact they have us.
And we value…
fantasy over dreams
fiction over truth
being served over serving
answering over questioning
speaking over listening
and wrongful domination over rightful surrender.
I grew up in a household where violations, disappointments,
criticism, and abuse were the order of the day.
All packaged in affluent charm.
It was what I knew, all I knew.
And it took everything I had to untangle the mess.
The more I have lost
the more I have gained.
Whatever I could not lose
owned me.
Loss and liberation go hand in hand.
I fight for the loss of what I was never meant to maintain.
I fight to discover who I am
in lieu of who I fantasized myself to be.
I listen to the world
instead of just myself.
I lost my premise
to know the truth.
I gave up my fear
to live with trust.
I lost my shame
to know love.
– Breck Costin


Explore More Meaning
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melody maker. peanuts appreciator. energy seeker.
Gabe Morgan, music and business student at CSU Northridge, is a musician, songwriter, lyricist, and producer. He is a 2004 graduate of Teen Insight and our featured contributor for Giving Tuesday. [www.givingtuesday.org/partner-detail/insight-university]
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